No Escaping Gravity
by cherribella
Summary: I need a favour." I slammed my locker impatiently and stared at him. I'll know I'm officially insane the day I decide to help Reid Garwin.
1. Chapter One

A/N: I wrote this while waiting to get on a plane and it was simply a way to cure my boredom. I don't know where this story is heading but ehhh it's fun, fluffy...so enjoy! Apologies if some of this is messy...blame it on the jet-lag ;) Also, thank you Placebo for giving me a title!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Absolutely nothing. Zero. Except for unrecognizable characters but apart from that...nothing!

* * *

Rain.

Heavy rain.

I was in the middle of considering a move to LA when mud slapped me across the face.

"Eyes on the ball Mizzati!" A rough voice pierced through the wind.

"Oh, look, now you have mud on your face!" Coach Waters bellowed over the heads of the players.

I grimaced slightly, not wanting to open my mouth to answer back for fear of more projectile mud. I decided to stop playing all together. I leaned on my hockey stick and glanced around at my surroundings. In the corner of my eye I saw Coach Waters throw his hands up in defeat. He blew his whistle loudly.

"It seems our captain has had enough!" He yelled in a patronizing manner as all eyes turned to me. I wiped my sleeve across my forehead and shrugged indifferently.

"I thought it best to stop before anyone gets hurt." I mumbled lazily when he stormed up to me, white knuckles clinging onto a worn clipboard.

"Oh, and I suppose the opposition will just step aside so no one breaks a nail?" He sneered loudly and I couldn't tell whether it was spit or rain landing on my face. He gave me a warning glare and blew his whistle again while jogging towards the changing rooms.

"Good choice," I felt someone lean into me and I glanced sideways at a flushed Jenna Thorn who was smiling sympathetically,"He knows it's stupid to play in these conditions anyway."

"Stubborn old man..." I trailed off quietly and stifled a laugh when I saw him lose his footing and latch onto the nearest student desperately. He was so uncoordinated and ape-like as he tried to smoothly hold himself upright.

"He is indeed," Jenna's musing brought me back to attention,"Shall we?" She gestured towards the changing rooms and I nodded eagerly, the anticipation of a warm shower almost overwhelming.

* * *

"Jenna!" I slammed my fist on the door of our dorm room,"Locked myself out...again." I kept knocking until I heard a low disgruntled grumble on the other side. The door opened and I was greeted with a pair of judgemental brown eyes.

"Third time this week, Adele."

"Aiden." I gave a curt nod and shimmied my way under his arm which was holding the door open. I dropped my books on the floor and flopped face first onto my bed.

"How was study?" I heard Jenna ask as Aiden closed the door a little too hard.

"Great." I mumbled into my pillow,"I love Geometry, did you know?"

"I think Geometry is fascinating. If you can't do it then why did you choose the course?" Aiden piped up obnoxiously and I lifted my head to glare at him.

"It's not that I _can't _do it. I just don't_ want _to do it," I said stubbornly,"And I have to do it for extra credit. Unlike you Aiden, I actually want to get into Yale through hard work rather than via a nice merry ride on my parents' coat tails." I sat up against the wall and distracted myself from the awkward silence by painting my nails. I saw Aiden shake his head and Jenna look at him nervously in my peripheral vision.

"I've never understood why you like her." Aiden spoke under his breath to his girlfriend on the other side of the room. Oh so I'm _her _now! I swear to god if this boy jumped off a cliff tomorrow I would be there at the bottom for the kodak moment.

"Aiden, please!" Jenna whispered hurriedly casting a quick glance over at me to see if I heard. I pretended I hadn't and happily continued my nail art.

Aiden sighed impatiently and stood up,"I need to borrow your car. Mine's in the shop." He said demandingly and grabbed Jenna's keys. I looked up then realising that they were no longer talking about me.

"But I need to go to work in half an hour..." Jenna said quietly, wringing her hands anxiously. Aiden gave her a swift smile that didn't reach his eyes and kissed her on the cheek briskly.

"I'm sure Adele won't mind driving you for a change." He drawled condescendingly as he grabbed his long black coat off the hook on the back of the door.

"I don't have a car dickhead!" I yelled as he slammed the door shut. I turned to Jenna who was pursing her lips at me irritably.

"Seriously, what do you see in him?" I asked not really expecting an answer. She rolled her eyes at me and I decided to drop it. After all, I expressed my feelings towards him everyday so I'm sure she was getting sick of it. One day she'll snap and realize the truth! That Aiden is a no-good cheating son of a bitch who's probably using Jenna's car to pick up another slut from Hastings right now. Not that I had any proof but the bottom line is: Aiden's an asshole. And Jenna will open her eyes one day. One day...

I frowned to myself when I realized I was thinking like a soap star and searched for something else to think about to distract myself.

I tried to think about hockey but my thoughts rapidly changed to a scene involving him and my hockey stick. I guess I was still too infuriated with the fact that Aiden existed. I was suprised at how malicious I was being but reasoned with myself. I only think this way about him because he thinks this way about me! Treat others how you wish to be treated. That's what he must say to himself everytime he talks down to me. Yes, sound reasoning on my behalf.

I had never seen the attraction between Aiden and Jenna. They say opposites attract but I mean, really. Jenna is sweet, shy, gentle (unless she's playing hockey, the girl's vicious!) and caring. Aiden is an arrogant mummy's boy in a knitted oxford vest with black rimmed glasses that would be cool if it was 1995. I kept telling Jenna that Aiden was using her; eg. for her car! But also for things more important than that like her generous nature which he constantly took advantage of. Not that he needed to since he could get everything he wanted from mummy Blackington anyway. I guess he enjoyed being the alpha of the relationship.

Unfortunately for me, bumping into Aiden in my own dorm room wasn't the only time we saw eachother. To my disgrace, the Blackington and Mizzati families are close. I hate myself for knowing that my link with Aiden probably helped with the whole him and Jenna situation. I say probably. I've taught myself to be in denile about such miniscule details. Our families, along with the Abbot's and the Rossett's, socialize together in typical rich, obnoxious fashion; $500 wine by the ancient fireplace along a with a lovely chat about each family's ancestry etc etc. Very monotonous stuff. I satisfied my boredom during these times by drinking the wine by the ancient fireplace on my own. Occasionally, I sat with Aurelie Blackington who was Aiden's younger sister. I could tell by her needy attitude that she was going to grow up to be just like her brother but until she started irritating me beyond belief, atleast she was 10 year old company also uninterested in family history.

"Who tutored you today?" Jenna's sweet voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Snider." I said gloomily and smiled inwardly when Jenna laughed. Ah, back in the good books.

"Yeah? How was that?" She asked, glad to not be talking about her boyfriend. I gave her a look that said "do you really need to ask?" and shrugged.

"The bitch knows her stuff." I said casually and examined my beautiful nails. Perfectly polished and _not _chipped much to Coach Waters' disappointment. In the eyes of a chauvanistic sports teacher, unchipped nails meant a lazy athlete. I pondered on whether there was a slight truth behind this but instead found myself laughing as the memory of him slipping in the mud flooded back to me.

* * *

I hardly had enough time to get ready for dinner in the dining hall that night. In between infuriated crying sessions over geometry and then the ugly realisation that I needed to reapply my make-up, I was wide-eyed when I saw the clock in my room show 5.55pm. Dinner at Spenser Academy was served promptly at six o'clock every evening and those who wished to save themselves the embarrassment of arriving late and loitering on the spot awkwardly trying to search for a free seat, usually got to the dining hall by 5.45pm. Fortunately for me, or unfortunately in a more general situation, Jenna always saved me a seat next to her. And Aiden. And Aaron Abbot which meant the Snider girl. And Jake and Paulina Rossett. According to our parents, it was of the utmost importance that the four families stick together.

"Family first!" My mother would screech proudly infront of the others who would all nod in agreement before sipping a brandy. This was the type of situation where you would find me drinking by the fireplace on my own.

I tied my black unruly hair into a messy bun and made my way down to dinner quickly. I scanned the room hastily and noticed Jenna's distinctive blonde hair at a table in the far right corner. Nice and social like always.

"Hey." I said airily as I slipped in beside Jenna who smiled warmly at me.

"Work out those geometry puzzles, Adele?" Kira sneered while playing with Aaron's dirty hair. I raised my eyebrows and piled some brown rice onto my china plate. It would be a shame to see such beautiful china smashed over something as ugly as Kira Snider.

"Trouble with geometry?" Paulina's shrill voice broke in suddenly,"I must say I find it pre-schoolish."

"I imagine it would be for someone who doesn't think their own age." I snapped back indignantly, ending the conversation. The table settled into some lousy small talk while I fiddled with my food.

"Playing with your food seems a bit hypocritical of you right now doesn't it?" Jenna murmured in my ear amused and I immediately put down my fork.

"I lose my appetite around these people..." I mumbled almost incoherently. A loud noise gained my attention from the other side of the room and I perked up curiously. Over the heads of students I could see was Caleb Danvers and Pogue Parry laughing about something. I lost interest as quickly as it hit me.

"Garwin being a prick as usual." Aaron muttered to which Kira laughed bitterly. The rest of the table talk slid easily into an hour long bitching session about the Ipswich boys. It became apparent to me how influential those many family gatherings around the ancient fire place really were. After all, the lessons about family loyalty were few and far between as opposed to how many lectures we received on family rivalries that had been ongoing for centuries. Then again, I guess one sort of flowed effortlessly into the other. In the narrow minded eyes of our parents it was the Mizzati's, Blackington's, Abbot's and Rossett's against our toughest social and financial competition The Ipswich Families.

Not in the mood to listen to Jake groan about Tyler Simms cheating in the final swimming heat, I mumbled a low goodbye to Jenna who seemed eager to come with me if it weren't for Aiden tightening his grip around her even more so than before. I rolled my eyes at his pettiness and waved dismissively to the rest of the table and left without a word.

I made my way down the hall, stopping at my locker to pick up my copy of The Shining which we were reading in class.

I screamed as Reid Garwin appeared next to my locker suddenly. I swear I hadn't heard him coming.

"What the hell Garwin!" I snapped through gritted teeth trying to compose myself. I slowly felt my heart rate return to normal.

He smirked and leaned against the locker next to mine,"You're looking lovely as always Adele. New hair?"

"What do you want?" I spat out ignoring the fact that he had actually noticed my change in hair style. He tapped his fingers on his chin amused.

"I need a favour." He said nonchalantly. Silence crept over us and eventually I broke out laughing.

"You're kidding right?" I questioned back in pure disbelief. The day I help Reid Garwin would be the day I officially become insane. And my feelings had nothing to do with our so called "family rivalries"; I was completely impartial in regards to that. Family aside, I genuinely dislike Reid Garwin as an individual. I believe he feels the same way towards me so all is fair and mutual. I mentally pat myself on the back for my second batch of sound reasoning for the day.

"Mhm it's my excuse for coming all the way out here just so I could be around you." Reid drawled sarcastically and I slammed my locker impatiently and stared at him.

"Your boyfriend will be wondering where you are." I remarked casually and he folded his arms over his chest, cocking his head to the side.

"I would say the same for you but we both know you're a stubborn bitch thus obviously of single status." He said lightly as if commenting on the weather.

"I take it you've never needed to ask for a favour before." I said lazily, brushing off his insult and growing tired of the conversation.

"This is more of a favour on someone else's behalf..." He mused and arched an eyebrow when he saw my curiousity peek.

"Since I know you well enough to know that you would never do something that didn't benefit you in some way," he continued lightly as I scoffed at his assumption,"I'll say right now that I believe even you will benefit from this favour in the long run." We stared at eachother for a while.

"Uh huh and what's in it for you? I fail to believe that you're actually a good person." I said calmly although I couldn't hide the fact I was intrigued.

"Just being a good friend." Reid said amused, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Right..." I muttered completely unconvinced.

"It involves Tyler," he said slowly as if talking to a child,"and the Jenna Thorn girl."

"That Jenna Thorn girl happens to be my best friend, Garwin," I snapped irritably,"So, no. No to you and no to whatever you and your stupid friends are planning." I spun on my heel and walked away.

"If there was anyone I could count on to help humiliate Aiden Blackington, it was you...I'm disappointed." Reid called out patronizingly and I stopped in my tracks, turning around to stare at him. Humiliate Aiden? The irrational part of me screamed YES! but then I thought about Jenna's involvement...

"What is this, some sort of matchmaking scheme like in the movies?" I asked trying not to show my curiousity. He saw right through me though and flashed me a brilliant smile.

"The match has already been made. We just need to get things moving." He replied aloofly as if what he was saying _wasn't _weird. Was this idiot aware Jenna didn't have eyes for anyone else and was already in a relationship?! An unfortunate one at that but a relationship nonetheless! I was completely puzzled; did Tyler like Jenna? Did Tyler even _know_ Jenna?!

_Would she be crushed if she knew Tyler Simms was interested?_ My conscience interrupted rudely. My very stubborn, very bias conscience.

"Are you asking me to intervene in Jenna's private life and risk hurting my best friend...for _your_ best friend?" I asked disbelievingly and he stared at me like I was the idiot. _Imbecile!_

"Decision time, Mizzati. My dinner's getting cold." Reid demanded impatiently.

"I'm leaving." I said simply and Reid shrugged indifferently.

"Suit yourself." He said and swaggered back into the dining hall swiftly.

Needless to say, that night not even The Shining could distract me from mulling over my strange encounter with the blonde. The annoying blonde, not Jenna who was innocently reading the same book while Aiden leaned against her on the bed. Does that boy even have a room? I heard Jenna giggle and saw her hit Aiden with the book lightly on his forehead.

"Ah, babe you'll break my glasses..." He trailed off, unable to hide his anger as he wiped them on the bottom of his vest. Worst of all Jenna was apologizing! Apologizing for almost destroying such an atrocity!

"Can I just say, Aiden, that those glasses are the ugliest things I've ever seen in my life." I said lightly while pretending to be engrossed in my book.

"Two things Adele: A mirror and your reflection." Aiden spat back viciously and I groaned at his terrible comeback. I smothered my face with a pillow.

"You too sweetheart," he said with false sweetness,"looks like someone's gained a few." I heard Jenna mumble something incoherent and I nearly screamed into my pillow. I shut off my light and forced myself to sleep in hopes that the morning would come quicker so I could track down the other blonde.

* * *

A/N: Et voila! The ramblings of a person stuck in a stuffy airport...feel free to review if you want! x


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: Wow! I'm overwhelmed with the behind-the-scenes response this story has got! Thank you to everyone who put this on alert/favourites, the emails telling me this make my day! SPECIAL thank you to the lovely reviewers!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Absolutely nothing. Zero. Except for unrecognizable characters but apart from that...nothing!

* * *

I stared at my weary reflection in the wardrobe mirror; Sleep deprived and puffy-eyed as a result of an uneasy sleep with a cocktail of bizarre dreams such as Kira wearing a hideous wedding dress and Aiden ending every conversation with "here's johnny!". It didn't even surprise me in the slightest if I was foreseeing the future.

I glimpsed at my timetable taped onto the mirror and groaned loudly when I saw geometry first period. I huffed irritably and grabbed my belongings before heading down to class.

Stumbling through the door I noticed Kira and Paulina already seated in the front row gossiping about someone as usual.

"Hey Adele," Kira's patronizing voice rang throughout the room,"Saved you a seat." I glared at her as she sat perfectly poised with an annoying smile plastered across her plastic features.

"Sure you did." I mumbled and reluctantly took my place next to her. As I sat down I knew I was in for an hour of judgemental looks and obnoxious tips on how to solve every equation. This was the same every geometry class; Jenna chose not to take the subject this semester so left me alone. With Snider. And to a lesser extent Paulina who I actually found extremely easy to ignore. Kira made it harder for me to pretend she didn't exist since I received a mouth-full of her hair every five minutes as she roughly leaned past me to check my work.

"God Adele," She would snap bitterly,"I explained this last night, do you even listen to me?!" To which I would give no response and happily stay silent as she fussed about but eventually corrected my work. It worked both ways really since it allowed Kira the chance to rub her intelligence in my face while I knew I could hand in a guaranteed A+ to Mrs Makall. I eased my conscience by telling myself that this course was only for extra credit so didn't need my _full _attention but I knew I was giving myself the benefit of the doubt. I suck at geometry so out of pure desperation take all the help I can get.

"Miss Mizzati, the Provost wants to see you in his office. Class is almost over so take your things with you." Mrs Makall's throaty voice drawled as all eyes fell on me. The woman never wasted any time getting rid of me. There was actually another 45 minutes of the 2 hour geometry class but I was more than happy to oblige. I frowned at the awkward silence that had swept over the room and nodded before making my way towards the exit, swiftly handing in my work. The low murmuring of students began once again as I stepped outside the classroom. I sighed calmly but my relief was short lived when I noticed Garwin waltzing over to me. I went to turn around and walk the other way but reminded myself of the location of the Provost's office.

"Not now." I said hurriedly as I went to walk straight past him.

Reid grabbed my wrist and spun me around to face him,"Let's take a walk." He flashed me a charming smile and I stared at him, suspicion mounting quickly. When I narrowed my eyes at him he smirked casually.

I pursed my lips disapprovingly,"Fake notes from Higgins aren't very nice." I said lazily as I hitched my bag further over my shoulder, the movement causing Reid to let go of my wrist.

He shrugged, saying "I felt like talking now."

"Couldn't wait till lunch?" I asked stubbornly. I didn't even want to know what _he_ was doing out of class.

"Feel free to endure another hour of geometry." He said serenely as he gestured towards Makall's class. I exhaled impatiently and began walking in a vague direction that would eventually lead to my dorm room somehow.

"There's also the plus of not being seen talking together in public, I suppose." I murmured more to myself than to the irritating blonde by my side.

"Still a no then?" Reid cut in suddenly, our little chat from last night flooding back to me.

"It's a...maybe." I replied briskly as I stepped into the private courtyard, my mind still on the fact that I was technically ditching class.

"One step closer then aren't we?" He said smirking arrogantly. I "hmm'd" absentmindedly and thought back to last night when I had been hellbent on tracking Garwin down and bombarding him with questions about this little scheme of his. Sleeping on it, however uneasy that sleep was, had seemingly reminded me that meddling in my best friend's love-life was less than appealing. Even if Aiden was an absolute bastard.

"Let's go this way." Reid's voice brought me out of my reverie as he turned sharply and headed in the direction of the boys dorm. I resisted for a few moments, lingering on the spot before realizing that any longer and I would probably be seen. He looked over his shoulder briefly and kept walking.

"We'll take the back route." He continued lightly, my urge to resist getting stronger with every word. However, the sound of a door closing and the low grumble of male voices on the other side of the courtyard propelled me towards Reid who shot me a sideways glance, a small smile playing on his lips.

We walked in silence for about five minutes before the boys dorm building loomed over us. From the side of course. True to his word Reid had taken me on the pleasant trip through the "back route" which basically just involved extra potholes and a lot of mud.

"Thanks for that." I mumbled as I studied the state of my shoes. Reid waved dismissively as he led me round another corner.

"A bit of warning never goes astray." I snapped under my breath as I regained my balance after stumbling on my third pothole. I gasped loudly when I felt as if I had hit a brick wall only to realise it was my guide's back a few blurry seconds later.

"What the fu-" My voice came to a dead stop as Reid stepped aside. About a hundred metres in front of us a couple were making out up against the wall. My first reaction was to laugh as I hid around the corner and snuck in a few glances but instead I found myself frowning when I saw a pair of horrible black rimmed glasses. A second later these glasses were thrown aside by an elegant hand as the make-out session heated up. I glared at Reid and he just smirked back at me all smug with himself.

"Christ sakes get over yourself!" I hissed through gritted teeth, my frustration aimed more at what was infront of me than Reid.

My throat felt dry as I turned my attention back to the couple. I tried reasoning with myself. It wasn't _impossible _that someone else owned a pair of those disgusting spectacles. It was just extremely worrying that another human being found them fashionable. It also wasn't _impossible _that Jenna was now a brunette.

Skipping class.

And five inches taller.

I felt my jaw clench as I turned around to face Reid who was leaning up against the wall lazily.

"I knew it." I mumbled to myself as I tried to ignore Garwin's impatient expression at my revelation.

"Bit slow off the mark, aren't we?" He said harshly as I shot him an icy glare. A futile effort on my behalf; it was water off a ducks back when it came to Reid Garwin. I drowned in my thoughts as he led me off in the opposite direction back towards the main school. I didn't even care if we were seen at this point.

"That," he continued lightly jerking his thumb behind him,"is old news." This simple statement made my stomach twist uncomfortably. How long had this been going on?! Long enough for Reid to know where and when to take me to witness it that's for sure. My blood was literally beyond boiling point by now.

"Jenna will be crushed..." I trailed off quietly as we reached the main steps.

"She's better off without that asshole." Reid countered quickly and I glanced at him surprised.

"Sounds like you actually care." I sniped back and he smirked.

"I care. Just not for who you're suggesting." He drawled lazily.

"For your boyfriend, yeah I get it." I said swiftly my mind still focused on Jenna's future reaction. I didn't even know when that reaction would be. If I told her she would think I was lying. I didn't want her to get hurt but she had to know about this! Eventually. I felt like I had no out in this situation. The best friend should tell the best friend about her cheating boyfriend. But the latter best friend wouldn't believe the former because of the hatred she had for the boyfriend...

I shook my head as I felt a migraine coming on. I frowned when I realised that my only way out might be Reid's "favour". I should have smothered myself with the pillow when I had the chance.

"You know, it really doesn't take you long to revert back to being a bitch." Reid's annoying voice broke my train of thought.

"Would you shut up?! I'm trying to think..." I said as I made my way up the steps while he stayed behind. I realised an agreement had been reached indirectly. One that would irritate the absolute crap out of me but I found myself voluntarily going along with anyway. Surely Garwin of all people wouldn't spend too much time thinking about anyone other than himself so how intricate could his scheming be?!

Humiliate Aiden. Make Jenna happy. That wasn't too hard. I tried to convince myself that the bits in between weren't important.

"We'll talk later," Reid said swiftly as he walked away,"In private of course, your highness." He said shortly obviously noticing me stop dead in my tracks at the thought of us seen talking together in public. One has to keep up appearances. Our animosity towards each other wasn't exactly unknown to the rest of the student body.

I sighed and looked back before entering the front hall. Even the way he walked annoyed the hell out of me. All arrogant and swaggerish. Ugh!

Co-operating with Reid Garwin; that would be the hard part.

* * *

I spent the lunch hour in the courtyard hunched over a table with my head in my hands, trying to drown out the horrible sound that was Aiden. Every time he spoke I felt like punching him in the face. Instead I settled with curling my fist into a ball and squeezing hard for a few moments before letting go. It seemed to do the trick.

"What's wrong with your hand?" Aaron piped up as I kept my head down.

"Hockey injury." I mumbled and could feel Jenna's quizzical look on the back of my head. There was a rustling silence for a bit before Aiden spoke again.

"Babe, I'm going to head back to the dorms for a while." He said as he gave Jenna a quick kiss on the cheek. If only she knew where those disgusting lips had been a few hours ago!

"Well, I'm finished here so I'll join you." Jenna said sweetly as she made a move to get up and leave.

"No, no," Aiden cut in, pushing her back into her seat a bit too roughly,"You stay with Adele. I'm sure she could use the company." I lifted my head then and glared at him before glancing at Jenna who was looking at me questioningly. This was awkward...

"Yeah," I started a little too abruptly,"Don't leave me with them." I half-teased while gesturing to Aaron in particular because he was annoying me the most at that moment. Jenna gave a brief smile and seemed satisfied enough with my request. My gaze followed Aiden as he left and headed in the direction of the boy's dorm. My hatred for the boy skyrocketed to new heights.

"I'm gonna get a soda, you want one?" Jenna asked and I shook my head unenthusiastically. I watched her make her way towards the vending machine and became slightly more interested when I noticed her and Tyler Simms bump into eachother carelessly. What was even more interesting was the fact that only brisk apologies were exchanged; no quaint, shy "oh my god are you okay" from him and absolutely no concern from her. I pressed my lips into a thin line impatiently and waited until Tyler had settled in his seat on the other side of the courtyard.

I made my way towards him, ignoring the curious glances from Aaron and the others. Reid wasn't with him so talking in public wasn't even a concern. Caleb was though but he was busy with Sarah.

"Hey." I said simply as I slid in beside Tyler who gave me a surprised look.

"Hey...Adele. How you doing?" He stuttered rather awkwardly. So softly spoken. Not like Aiden. Or Reid for that matter

I exchanged quick hello's with Caleb and Sarah who were cordial enough to just accept the fact that I was randomly at their table for the first time since ever.

"So Ty, been up to much lately?" I asked politely, deciding to start off with a bit of small talk first.

"Just school I guess," he replied shooting a nervous glance at Caleb and Sarah who were getting up to leave,"How about you?"

I shrugged indifferently,"School stuff. Hockey, trying to eliminate Aiden from existence, you know the usual." I said smoothly hoping to get a reaction out of the last said hobby of mine. I frowned when all I received was a quiet chuckle. No blush, no...expected reaction. I looked up quickly when I saw Reid heading towards us in my peripheral vision.

"See you later." I said as I hurriedly removed myself from the table.

"Yeah...see you around." I heard Tyler's faded voice in the background. I walked towards Reid, smiling serenely. At the same time we both slowed down and lingered on the spot.

"Starting without me?" He asked curiously.

"You failed to mention the fact your boyfriend seems to have no idea of Jenna's existence." I said through gritted teeth as I kept the fake smile on my features. Reid spoke in the same way except of course, true to form, his was more of a smirk.

"Ty's good at hiding his feelings." He said as I made a "psssh" sound through my teeth.

"Right," I replied sarcastically,"If your telling the truth and Tyler does like Jenna then I think he's out of luck. She doesn't even acknowledge him."

"Well that's where you come in." He said patronizingly,"If you just do what I say then-"

"No thanks," I interrupted quickly,"If you want this to work then we have to do it my way." I said stubbornly refusing to inflate his ego more if that was even possible. He smirked and raised his eyebrow at me.

I sighed impatiently,"Look, this isn't a competition. We're on the same side here. No games." I said becoming slightly angered by the fact that I sounded as though I was trying to convince myself at the same time.

"And it'll stay that way if you stop being so stubborn." He said lightly ignoring my rising temper. We were openly arguing now, quietly but still enough to earn some curious stares. I folded my arms and stared at him before he leaned into me.

"I could do this easily without you." Reid said and chuckled quietly when I let out a frustrated groan.

"Why don't you then?!" I snapped irritably, my anger in full swing now. He clapped his hands together and gave a lazy grin before walking away.

"Where would be the fun in that?" He yelled without turning back as he strode towards the table where a confused Tyler sat alone.

* * *

A/N: Ooo la la let the games begin! Review..?! I would love to know what you guys think! Merry Christmas everyone!


	3. Chapter Three

A/N: Sorry for the slow update! Here's an extra long chapter to hopefully make it up to you guys! Thank yoooooou VERY much all those who have reviewed/alerted etc! Peace and love!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Covenant.

* * *

"Adele, hey! This is a surprise!" I smiled warmly at Jenna as I took a seat at the breakfast bar.

"I don't think you've ever visited me at work," She continued handing me a menu and fussing about behind the bar,"And got up so early as well!" She said laughing as she glanced at her watch.

"Yeah I know, had trouble sleeping lately I guess." I replied indifferently, scanning the beverage list. Jenna worked at a small cafe in the center of town that seemed devoted to the elderly.

"Well, today is actually Pensioner's Day so they get 50% off coffee and cake." Jenna said when I asked if this place was always void of young people. I ordered a black coffee and swiveled on my bar stool impatiently while I waited for my Saturday morning pick-me-up.

It had been just over a week since my last encounter with Reid in the courtyard. Since then I had purposefully avoided him to keep my head from spinning. The whole situation made me feel out-of-sync with reality. All this scheming and plotting really wasn't my thing. Tyler should just man-up and face the music. He's a fabulous Son of Ipswich for crying out loud! But Jenna was...Jenna. Sweet, oblivious and in love with a moron. Speaking of whom I've tried desperately to ignore even more than usual. It's like the harder I try the more I fail miserably. Like geometry.

"You wanna go to Nicky's tonight?" Jenna asked, handing me my coffee and leaning on the bar casually. I nodded briefly before the frustrating reminder hit me in the face.

"I have dinner at the Rossetts tonight." I grimaced as I watched Jenna's face fall slightly.

"I've always wondered why Aiden's never invited you..." I said slowly, trying not to sound intrusive. I would invite her but...no, just no. I tried to keep my embarrassing family life very separate to my Spenser life.

Jenna shrugged and pretended to be busy with some paperwork on the counter,"He says he's not ready for me to meet his family yet." I scoffed loudly into my cup and avoided her eye. Fortunately the silence that followed was broken by a tubby woman in a hair net yelling at Jenna to get back to work.

"Boss's wife. Maybe we can go to Nicky's after your dinner?" She mumbled before heading in to the kitchen, not waiting for an answer. I rolled my eyes; the chances of getting out of a family dinner before midnight were very slim. I downed the remainder of my coffee and glanced hesistantly outside before deciding to brave the bitter wind once again.

* * *

The rest of my afternoon was spent aimlessly wandering around town occasionally doing the odd window shop here and there. I did linger outside one window in particular that had the most gorgeous red winter coat I had ever laid my eyes on.

"Oh, Adele!" I cringed at the voice and turned on my heel slowly. Mummy Blackington was strutting towards me in black stilettos with her hands full of brown bags.

"Hey Victoria." I said simply as I raised my eyebrows at the bags questioningly. All the woman ever did was shop.

"Presents for Aurelie," She said when she saw my expression. She gave a full smile but even hidden behind Chanel sunglasses I could tell it didn't reach her eyes.

"She's a great kid." I remarked politely. I couldn't say the truth that her daughter was a spoilt little brat who deserved a popsicle at best.

"She is, isn't she?" She said proudly. I lingered on the spot awkwardly as I felt the conversation turning stale.

"I'm rather pleased I've bumped into you Adele," I gave a small smile at her words. There was always an ulterior motive with this woman.

"Aurelie is at ballet and finishes in half an hour," she continued, "I would pick her up myself but I promised Lucille that I would help prepare dinner for tonight." If I was wearing sunglasses I'd have rolled my eyes at her but settled with a sigh.

"My car's in the shop." I said simply.

"Oh no, still?!" she cried while pretending to care, "Poor Aurelie…" Here we go. The guilt trip Victoria threw at everyone when things didn't go her way.

"I take it Aiden's busy then?" I asked as she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Yes, Aiden says he's always tied up with extra curriculum activities at Spenser." She replied and looked at me when I snorted. Extra curriculum indeed.

"Look, I'll take a cab and pick up Aurelie." I said wearily and she flashed me a beautiful smile.

"Fabulous! The studio's at 144 Terrace Avenue," she said brightly already crossing the street, "See you at tonight!" She yelled giving me an awkward side wave as she struggled with her bags.

I rolled my eyes, now free from Victoria's scrutinizing gaze, and hailed the first cab that came along.

* * *

I stepped into the polished studio only to be immediately berated by a man who told me to take my shoes off and wouldn't let me move any further until I had.

"I will not have my studio floors tarnished by such tacky soles!" He yelled as I brushed off his insult and strode towards Aurelie.

"Hurry up! We're going to be late for dinner." I said and I gathered up her things next to her. I ignored her glare on the back of my head.

"Where's mummy?!" She demanded as she took my hand reluctantly.

"Busy," I replied and she pouted, "Have you got everything?"

"Yes. Except Caitlyn." She stated matter-of-factly. I frowned as I tried to remember whether Aurelie had ever had a diamond encrusted teddy bear named Caitlyn.

"There she is!" Aurelie yelled, letting go of my hand and running towards a small girl with blonde hair. Oh. Caitlyn was a person. This hadn't even crossed my mind since I considered Aurelie absolutely friendless.

"Adele this is Caitlyn," Aurelie said in a posh voice, "She's coming to dinner tonight."

"Nice to meet you Caity," I said, smiling warmly and bending down to shake her hand, "Can I call you Caity?"

"No, Caitlyn's fine." She replied in a similar voice to Aurelie. I raised my eyebrows in surprise at her cold demeanor. Aurelie had obviously been rubbing off on her.

"Right. Sorry." I said stupidly and gestured for them to follow me outside.

"Where's your car?" Aurelie asked suspiciously.

"Getting fixed. We're taking a cab." I said calmly as I scanned the road.

"A cab?!" She said, completely disgusted by the fact that she had to take public transport. A few seconds later Caitlyn joined her in a nasty giggling session.

A minute later a cab pulled up next to us and I opened the door for the girls who both hesitated.

"We could take the bus if you want…" I offered and laughed inwardly when Aurelie gave me a death stare before getting in, followed by Caitlyn who had her head down. I couldn't get over the fact that these girls were only ten and already had the attitudes of a 30 year old.

At least they would have each other for entertainment tonight and Aurelie wouldn't need to bother me. Although this meant that I couldn't use the old "Aurelie wants to show me something in the study" excuse when I wanted to leave the table.

"Adele I want a lollipop!" Aurelie yelled from the back seat.

"We'll be at the Rossetts in five minutes. I don't want you to ruin your dinner." I replied patiently and began clenching my jaw when both girls bombarded me with "please please please please please please please!" for about a minute straight.

"Shut up!" I yelled back earning a startled glance from the driver, "Sir, please pull over at the next gas station."

"I won't be able to wait around." He replied as he made a left turn and pulled into the station. I nodded since we were close enough to the house to walk although the nagging cold made that option more and more unappealing.

"That's fine." I said shortly and got out after giving him my change.

I looked up just in time to see the girls racing towards the shop and hurried after them.

"Adele we want these!" Aurelie demanded as she handed me two small buckets of milky chocolate buttons.

"No, you get one small chocolate bar each and that's it." I said and was met with incredulous glares from both of them. Not long after the "please please please!" started again and I blushed when I noticed other customers staring in our direction.

"Okay, fine!" I snapped, finally realizing that I actually didn't care about their appetites being ruined which meant receiving a lecture from Victoria.

"Stay here while I get some more money." I ordered as I frowned at the price of the two buckets. Thankfully I didn't need to tell them twice since they seemed mesmerized by all the different types of sweets. Sometimes you just can't deny the natural feelings that come with your actual age.

I was on my third go trying to get money out when I slammed a fist against the machine impatiently.

"I'll show you card rejection!" I muttered as it spat out my card for the third time. In the background I heard the low rumbling of a car engine but ignored it as I had more pressing matters at hand.

"No! I don't need a receipt! Christ _sakes_!" I said slightly louder as I heard the noise of the engine nearer to me now.

"Lady will you hurry up?" I jumped at male voice behind me and turned on my heel quickly.

He raised his eyebrows at me and I glared at him furiously, "If you're in such a hurry, get your money somewhere else!" I yelled, attracting the attention of a few people around us. The young man stared at me in surprise and slowly broke into a smirk.

"It's okay," he said folding his arms, "I'll wait." I had known this person for five seconds and I already felt an incredible urge to slap him.

It felt extremely awkward when I turned my back on the stranger, just knowing he was watching and laughing when my card was rejected for the tenth time.

"Hey Seth come on man!" I heard another man yell from a distant.

"You want the money or not?!" The guy behind me shouted back. I glanced sideways and saw that his shouting was aimed at the loud engined car. I looked back at him and he smiled at me patronizingly.

"Eleventh time lucky!" He said rubbing his hands together with fake enthusiasm. I cursed him under my breath and shoved my card back in the machine roughly.

Finally the money came through and I turned around to face him, smiling brightly.

"All yours!" I snapped and stormed off back into the shop.

* * *

I realized fifteen minutes later that I had underestimated the time it would take to walk to the Rossetts. What's worse was it was freezing and the girls were almost in tears.

"Almost there…" I said trying to keep them calm.

"You said that ten minutes ago!" Caitlyn whined irritably.

I chose to ignore her comment _and_ the rumbling of a car engine that seemed a bit too close behind us. Was that asshole following me?!

"Keep walking." I said when I noticed Aurelie turn to find the source of the noise. I looked up at the sky and prayed that it wasn't cash machine boy and his cronies.

"Well, well…well." I frowned at the voice and turned to see Reid leaning forward lazily on the steering wheel of a huge black hummer. At least I was actually familiar with this asshole.

"Need a ride?" He asked, amused.

"Um, no. Thanks." I said as I kept walking, ignoring the girls' protests. I stopped when I realized both had stopped dead in their tracks.

I rolled my eyes when Reid pulled over and glared up at him.

He cocked his head to the side and pursed his lips impatiently, "Keep walking and freeze or get in."

I sighed as Aurelie started tugging at my coat and gave in. I helped the girls in the backseat and hid my smile from Reid as I felt the satisfying warmth wash over me.

"Do you go to school with Adele?" Aurelie asked Reid two minutes into the journey. He glanced over at me and then flashed a charming smile at the girls causing me to grip the sides of my seat in fear.

"Sure, Adele and I go way back." he said casually and I snorted indignantly.

"Reid watch the road!" I mumbled and he shot me a look as if I had insulted him.

"Since Adele has no manners, I'll introduce myself," he said lightly, "Reid-"

"Andrews!" I interrupted hastily and dropped my gaze to avoid his. The last thing I needed was Aurelie running to her mummy and telling her all about her amazing journey with a Garwin. I wouldn't hear the end of it.

"I'm Aurelie Blackington," the precocious girl remarked, "and this is Caitlyn."

"Sister of Aiden Blackington , I'm guessing?" Reid asked and smirked when I gave him a warning glare.

"Yes. I want to be like him when I grow up." She replied and I cringed at her words. Poor girl wants to be a slut? Reid chuckled darkly as if he was thinking the same thing. What a hypocrite.

"Make a left here." I said and he raised his eyebrows at me.

"Do I hear a please?" He asked and I kept quiet, much to his annoyance.

"Reid Andrews? How incredibly average." He muttered when the two girls started talking about something else.

"Suits you well." I said absent-mindedly and smiled when he made a left. The large black gates emblazoned with a huge golden "R" loomed in front of us.

"Thanks for the lift…" I said but took my hand off the door handle when Reid began driving through the gates.

"You're welcome." He said smoothly, not caring that he was on "enemy turf". I grimaced and scanned the front courtyard quickly.

"There's Aiden!" Aurelie screamed, getting out the car and running over to her brother who had obviously just been to the wine cellar. I watched as he greeted the two girls and walked with them towards the house, narrowing his eyes at Reid as he walked past the car.

"Nice boy." Reid said as he threw a smirk in my direction.

"Whatever…" I mumbled irritably and got out the car.

"You haven't told her yet have you?" He asked before I had the chance to escape.

I widened my eyes, "Can we talk about this some other time?!" I said anxiously peering over my shoulder for fear of being overheard.

"Come to Nicky's tonight." He said, more a command than a request.

I folded my arms stubbornly and he rolled his eyes.

"What time are you finished here?" He continued as he took in his surroundings.

"Oh, er, I don't know, these things go pretty late." I said vaguely as I started shuffling impatiently on the spot.

Reid raised an eyebrow at me, "I'll pick you up at eleven." I opened my mouth to retort but was forced to step back when he reached to close the door.

"Okay, great." I grumbled as I watched him speed down the driveway, running over numerous plants as he did so.

* * *

The smell of potent wine and cigar fumes overwhelmed my senses as I stepped into the foyer of the Rossett's manor.

"Miss Mizzati," Frederique the family butler swept into a low bow and offered to take my coat.

"How many times must I insist you call me Adele," I stressed as I shrugged out of my coat, "It's embarrassing otherwise." I teased as he gave a hearty chuckle which sounded almost foreign coming from such a serious, straight-laced man.

"Oh Adele! Why must you always be late?" I gave a tight-lipped smile as my mother strutted towards me with a crystal glass of champagne in one hand and a cigarello in the other.

"Hello mother," I said as she gave her glass to Frederique and hugged me lightly, "Are you well?"

"Oh, very well my darling!" She rested her hand on my cheek and studied me intently, "Are you? You look awfully pale and washed out. Go upstairs and get yourself tidied up before dinner." She gave me a strained smile and tapped me on the cheek before heading back into the lounge. I glanced at Frederique, who gave me a sympathetic smile and handed me my mother's champagne.

"Thanks!" I mumbled and downed it before I trudged upstairs.

The Rossett Manor was no different to the rest of the Ipswich elites, including my own. Large chandeliers lit the hallways which were covered with ancient portraits and lined with deep purple drapes.

"No baby, don't be like that." I came to a sudden stop when I heard the muffled voice. Frowning, I stepped lightly towards Jake's bedroom, the door of which was slightly ajar.

"Later tonight then?" The voice said again. I opened the door quietly and, expecting to find Jake, was greeted with the unpleasant sight of a checkered black and white vest. Aiden hung up the phone in frustration and I smiled maliciously.

"Was that Jenna? How is she?" I asked and noticed him flinch slightly when he heard my voice. He turned around to face me, a sardonic smile on his face.

"None of your concern actually." He replied and I frowned skeptically.

"Yeah I suppose it isn't, her being my best friend and all." I folded my arms and leant against the doorway, blocking his potential escape. Despite the circumstances, I enjoyed making him feel incredibly awkward.

Aiden scoffed, "Something I still hate even to this day. You're not good for her." I raised my eyebrows at his blatant hypocrisy.

"Lucky she has a loyal, caring guy like you then." I said aloofly and he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Be careful what you're implying, Adele." He said with a threatening tone, the atmosphere quickly turning very tense. I tapped the door shut with my foot and looked up at him.

"I can't imagine what you mean, Aiden." I said sarcastically but never dropping my gaze from his. The conversation was now on a completely different level.

He gave me a mocking smile and folded his arms arrogantly, "It seems we both have certain secrets we'd like to keep in the dark." I frowned at his assumption while trying to figure out his meaning.

"Socializing with an Ipswich boy?" Aiden continued slowly, "And with a Garwin especially. What would the families say if they found out? If I happened to let it…slip?" I glared at him furiously and clenched my jaw.

"What does that matter?! It's nothing compared to what you're doing!" I was having to restrain myself from shouting at the top of my lungs. The hatred I felt for Aiden Blackington was an almost abnormal amount for any human being.

"What _I'm _doing, whatever you think that may be," I scoffed at his petty attempt to feign innocence, "has nothing to do with century old family rivalries and honour codes. Don't be stupid, Adele, you know the rules." I rolled my eyes impatiently and tried to squash the uncomfortable feeling rising in my stomach.

"She's my best friend!" I snapped, my anger reaching boiling point. Names and explanations weren't even needed. We both knew what the other was implying. Aiden walked over and leaned into me and I froze at how close he was.

"Innocent until proven guilty!" He said pronouncing each word with unmistakable venom. I almost laughed in disbelief.

"Not for much longer!" I whispered sharply as he leaned back and gave me a condescending stare.

"You would really risk disownment just to spite me?" I cringed at his words while trying to ignore that fact that he wasn't exaggerating. Pushing his threats aside I shrugged indifferently.

"Yep!" I flashed him a smile before storming out of the room.

* * *

Dinner was rather awkward that night. Aiden and I had both voluntarily opted to sit as far away from each other as possible which resulted in me being stuck next to Mr Abelard Rossett. A burly man with a passion for cigars and brandy, Abelard was incredibly fond of recounting tales of his youth all the way upto his convenient marriage to Lucille.

"I suppose it won't be long until you get married, eh Adele?" He said and I crinkled my nose as I was overwhelmed with stale brandy breath.

"My dear, you aren't still available are you?!" Abelard asked incredulously when I shrugged off his suggestion of marriage.

"Oh this is no good at all. We must preserve the family line!" He continued loudly, drawing the attention of the others. I rolled my eyes at his 18th century attitude and turned my attention to playing with my food.

"Yes, you and Aiden especially must get a move on!" Lucille cut in and I let out a bark like laugh, earning a warning glare from Aiden. So he's never even _mentioned _Jenna?! Oh, this was priceless!

"I think you must be mistaken, Lucille, Aiden's-"

"Still, unfortunately, available," Aiden interrupted hastily and I bit back a smirk, "You're right of course Lucille, but I'm just waiting for a girl that's right for me." Audible "hmm's" of understanding swept over the table and I visibly grimaced.

"No need to worry, dear, the right one will come along for you too." Lucille said patronizingly as Kira whispered something to Aaron before laughing nastily. I glanced over at Aiden who lifted his glass up at me before turning to talk to my mother. I didn't even want to know what nonsense he was charming her with this time. Probably something negative about me; at least they'd both agree on that. I was drawn out of my thoughts when I heard a high pitched chiming and saw Lucille tapping a spoon on her champagne glass lightly.

"A toast! To a wonderful family alliance that will never be outdone!" I snorted quietly and raised my glass unenthusiastically.

Lucille smiled proudly as she gestured for Frederique who handed her a red envelope.

"Also, on another note," She said holding up the golden card for everyone to see, "I have the pleasure of announcing our invitation to another HSB which shall be held three weeks from today!" Ignoring the arrogant smiles, I groaned inwardly. Another High Society Ball! A lovely occasion which brings out the competitive nature of all the Ipswich elite who strive to one-up each other in everything.

"These Balls are given to honour respected families, such as our own, and I expect everyone to act accordingly and show respect to the other families invited even if they refuse to reciprocate. This would simply show our superiority, something to which I'm definitely not opposed to." Lucille ended her little tirade by quoting the family crest: _Vires, Vox, Prestantia! _Strength, Power, Superiority! Reluctantly, I mumbled it in return as Lucille took her seat, self-satisfaction radiating off her in waves.

After another excruciating hour of table talk, I glanced anxiously at the ancient grandfather clock and jumped when I saw the hands at ten forty-five. Fortunately I was saved the embarrassment of excusing myself from the table when Abelard announced that everyone should retire to the parlour. I lingered behind in the dining room while the crowd left and slipped out into the foyer. I reasoned with myself that no one would really care that I had gone since I had made a habit of doing it recently. The family dinners were getting longer and more insufferable each time. Not to mention repetitive with all this patriotic nonsense.

Grabbing my coat, I peered nervously out the window and groaned when I saw headlights pulling into the drive. Wrestling with my coat I groaned even louder when I heard footsteps on the gravel coming towards the front door.

_He's going to ring the doorbell. He's going to come in. I'm going to kill him!_

Before he had the chance, I swung the door open and almost yelped in surprise.

"You!" I stared incredulously at the guy who had laughed at me at the gas station earlier. Seth someone or other.

He frowned and gave me an amused smile, "You…" We both stared at eachother as silence filled the air. I huffed impatiently.

"What are you doing here?" I sneered as I stepped forward to close the door so no-one would hear me.

"Picking up my sister." He said indifferently and I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Sister? As in snotty bratty Caitlyn? He went to move past me and I put my hand on his chest.

"Believe me, you don't want to go in there." I said and he glanced down to where my hand was placed. I removed it quickly to my side.

He laughed quietly, "I'm sure I can handle it."

I stepped aside, "Suit yourself. Don't expect a warm welcome though." I chuckled humorlessly as his brown eyes studied my face.

"If you're anything to go by then I expect nothing less." He remarked casually and went to open the door. I pressed my lips into a thin line and began walking off down the drive. I thought it better to wait for Reid down there and give him no chance to drive up to the house like last time.

"Seth, by the way." I heard him say as I kept walking.

"I know." I replied swiftly without turning back.

* * *

A/N: Whew! I had fun writing this! Hope you guys enjoyed it! Sorry for lack of Reid but you know how it is...with the plot...and stuff. Promise there will be more Reid in the next chapter...if you review! dun dun dunnnnn

xxx


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